Hack saw having plural blade rotary carrier



Sept. '6, 1960 2,951,521

HACK s v; HAVING PLURAL BLADE ROTARY CARRIER G. O. SICARD Filed Aug. 25, 1959 Y m 4 R 5 O A i\ N 1s a Yo 4flw\\ W e E a e AT TOQN EYS Zfliiifii Patented Sept. 5, 1960 ice This invention relates toimprovements in hack saws having selectively usable blades, and more particularly to a novel hack saw having a rotatable plural blade carrier mounted in a hacksawframe.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simpler, safer, more efii'cient, more practical and more easily used hack saw of the kind indicated, which is adjustable for the use of blades of different lengths, and wherein a blade in use position is securely locked in place, and another blade is securely locked in an out-ofthe-way position in protected relation to the hack saw frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hack saw of the character indicated above, which is more rigid and rugged for accurate manipulation and long service, and wherein a spring-pressed component of the hack saw frame handle serves as the means for quickly and easily rotating the blade carrier to put a desired blade in use position and to lock the same in said position.

Other importantobjects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hack saw illustrating the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1, showing the blade carrier in operative position in full lines and in partially rotated position in phantom lines; 7

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l; and,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, similar to Figure 1, showing the blade carrier operating and locking handle component compressed in locking position.

.Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated hack saw comprises a generally conventionally constructed hack saw frame 10, comprising a sectional, longitudinally adjustable back bar 12 which terminates at its forward end in a right angular lateral arm .14, .and its rear end in a lateral bracket 16, which is .cen- .trally fixed, as indicated at 18, to the adjacent end of a :handle 20, the arm 14 and the handle being in the .same plane.

The handle 20 comprises a forward bar 22 which is spaced forwardly from a rear bar 24, and a connecting bar 26 between their outer ends, which is preferably in longitudinal alignment with the outer or free end 28 of the arm 14. On a longitudinal centerline of the frame .10, the forward handle bar 22 is formed with a longitudinal bore 30, through which is journalled the forward end portion is journalled in an aligned bore 34 formed in the rear handle bar 24.

As seen in detail in Figure 3, the forward end portion of the rod 32 is threaded, as indicated at 36 and has threaded thereon a lock nut 38 which is fixedlysecured on the rear side of the forward handle bar 22, as in a recess 40 provided in the rear side of the bar 22, for the purpose of precluding endwise movements of the rod 32 relative to the frame 10. A spacing washer 42 is circumposed on the rod 32 between the forward side of the forward handle bar 22 and the middle of a straight, rigid cross bar 44, which is locked in place on the rod by suitable means, such as a lock nut 46.

The rear side of the rear bar 24 of the handle 20 is formed concentrically with the bore 34, with a polygonal locking recess 48, preferably square, and with an annular groove 50 surrounding the recess, which serves as a spring seat. Fixed on the rear end of the rod 32 is a polygonal, and preferably square, enlarged head 52 which slides non rotatably in a circular cross section socket 54 which is formed in the rear side of the middle of an elongated blade carrier rotating and locking handle component 56. The handle component 56 has a flat forward side 58 for flat contacting engagement with the flat rear side 60 of the rear handle bar 24, While the handle 20 is being gripped for a sawing operation.

The socket 54 is in axial alignment with a bore 62 provided through the middle of the handle component through which the rear end portion of the rod 32 extends rotatably. On the forward side of the handle component 56 and surrounding and containing a part of the bore 62, is a locking lug 64, of the same polygonal cross section as the recess 48 in the rear handle bar 24. A helical expanding spring 66 is circumposed on the lug 64 and is compressed between the bottom of the spring seat 50 and the forward side of the handle component 56 and serves to spread the handle component rearwardly away from the handle 20, as seen in Figure 1, while the handle is not gripped in the hand, so that the locking lug 64 is out of the locking recess 48, and the handle component 56 is free to be rotated relative to the handle 20, so as to rotate the rod or shaft 32 for selectively positioning the blade carrier frame 68, of which the cross bar 44 is the rear component.

portion of a longitudinalrod or shaft 32 whose rearward The spring seat 50 is deep enough that, when the handle component 56 is compressed forwardly into engagement with the handle 20, the spring will be entirely telescoped into the seat 50, so that the handle component 56 can make full contact with the rear side of the handle 20. In

this sense, the spring seat could be, instead, in the forward side of the handle component 56.

The blade carrier 68 further comprises a bolt 70 which slides through a bore 72 in the middle of the lateral hack saw frame arm 14 and which is axially aligned with the shaft 32. The bolt 70 extends through the midpoint of a forward cross bar 74 and has an enlarged head 76 on its rear end which bears against the rear side of the cross bar 74, and a spacer washer 78 on the bolt is disposed between the cross bar 74 and the rear side of the arm 14. A wing nut 80 is threaded on the forward end of the bolt 70 to bear against the forward side of the arm 14.

The rear cross bar 44 and the forward cross bar 74 are similar and are provided at their ends with lateral hooks 82 for engaging in holes 84 which are provided at the ends of hack saw blades A and B, whereby the blades are secured to and stretched taut between the carrier bars 44 and 74, parallel to and equidistant from the axis of the carrier frame 66. i

From the foregoing it will appear that, with the handle component 56 retracted or projected rearwardly away from the handle 20 by the spring 66 and the locking lug 64 thereby withdrawn from the locking recess 48, the

handle component 56 is free to be rotated for putting either the blade A or the blade B in use position within the plane of the frame arm 14 and the handle 34, at the outer ends thereof. When the carrier frame 63 is positioned for this arrangement, the other blade is likewise positioned within the plane of the hack saw frame 10, with the said other blade close to and extending along the back bar 12, with its toothed edge 86 facing the back bar 12, so that injurious contacts of said other blade with the hands or with an object being operated upon are precluded. For accommodating shorter or longer hack saw blades, the frame can be adjusted in length by adjusting the length of the back bar 12.

When the handle 2%? is gripped in the hand for a sawing operation, with the fingers through the opening of the handle 2%) and with the heel of the hand pressed forwardly against the handle component '56, the handle component is forced forwardly, against the resistance of the spring 66, so as to put the locking lug 64 non-rotatably in the locking recess 4-8, and put the handle component against the rear side of the handle, thereby locking the carrier frame 68 in the elected positions of the blades A and B, and causing the handle component to become an effective part of the handle.

Obviously the wing nut 80 on the bolt 70 can be turned on the bolt to provide limited forward withdrawal of the forward carrier frame cross bar 74 away from its rear. cross bar 44, so as to put additional tension on the blades A and B.

While there has been shownand described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A hack saw comprising a hack saw frame having a longitudinal back bar having a fixed lateral arm on its forward end and a lateral handle fixed on its rear end In the same plane as said arm, said arm and said handle having free ends, said handle having forward and rear sides, a plural hack saw blade carrier frame between said armand said handle comprising a forward cross bar pivotedmtermediate its ends on saidarm, a rear cross bar positioned close to the forward side of the handle, a longitudinal rotary shaft jo-urnalled through said handle in axial alignment with the pivoted axis'of said front cross bar, means preventing endwise movement of the shaft in the handle, said shaft having a forward end pc s troned forwardly of the handle and a rear end positioned rearwardly of the handle, means fixing said rear blade carrier frame cross bar at a point intermediate its ends on the forward end of the shaft, said rear side of the handle being formed with a polygonal recess surrounding the shaft, an elongated handle component journalled intermediate its ends 011 the shaft behind the han- 'dle, an enlarged polygonal head fixed on the rear end of the shaft, at a distance from the rear side of the handle greater than the thickness of-the handle component, said a handle component having a forward side having an axial polygonal locking lug thereon for locking engagement in said locking recess, expanding spring means acting between the hand and the handle component and normally spreading the handle component rearwardly away from the handle and disengaging the locking lug from the lock- 7 ing recess, and first and secondihack saw blades extending between related ends of the blade carrier, cross bars and removably secured thereto.

2. A hack saw comprising a hack saw frame having a longitudinal back bar having a fixed lateral arm on its forward end and a lateral handle fixed on its rear end in the same plane assaid arm, said'arm and said handle having free ends, said handle having forward and rear sides, a plural hack saw blade carrier frame between said arm and said handle comprising a forward cross bar pivoted intermediate its ends on said arm, a rear cross bar positioned close to the forward side of the handle, a longitudinal rotary shaft journalled through said handle in axial alignment with the pivoted axis of said front cross bar, means preventing endwise movement of the shaft in the handle, said shaft having a forward end positioned forwardly of the handle and a rear end positioned rearwardly of the handle, means fixing said rear blade carrier frame cross bar at a point intermediate its ends on the forward end of the shaft, said rear side of the handle being formed with a polygonal recess surrounding the shaft, an elongated handle component journalled intermediate its ends on the shaft behind the handle, an enlarged polygonal head fixed on the rear end of the shaft, at a distance from the rear side of the handle greater than the thickness of the handle component, said handle component having a forward side having an axial polygonal locking lug thereon for locking engagement in said locking recess, expanding spring means acting between the hand and the handle component and normally spreading the handle component rearwardly away from the handle and disengaging the locking lug from the locking recess, and first and second hack saw blades extending between related ends of the blade carrier, cross bars and removably secured thereto, the rear side of the handle and the forward side of the handle component being formed for conformable contact so as to make the handle and the handle component a single handle unit when the handle and the handle component are compressed together in gripping the handle unit for a sawing operation wherein the locking lug is engaged in the locking recess and the blade carrier frame is locked against rotation relative to the hack saw frame, with a selected blade positioned for use in the plane of the hack saw frame at the free ends of the said arm and the handleand with the other blade protectively positioned along the hack saw frame back 3. A hack saw comprising a hack saw frame having a longitudinal back bar having a fixed lateral arm on its forward end and a lateral handle fixed on its rear end in the same plane as said arm, said arm and said handle having free ends, said handle having forward and rear sides, a plural hack saw blade carrier frame between said arm and said handle comprising a forward cross bar pivoted intermediate its ends on said arm, a rear cross bar positioned close to the forward side of the handle, a longitudinal rotary shaft journalled through said haidle in axial alignment with the pivoted axis of said front cross bar, means preventing endwise movement of the shaft in the handle, said shaft having a forward end positioned forwardly of the handle and a rear end positioned rearwardly of the handle, means fixing said rear blade carrier frame cross bar at a point intermediate its ends on the forward end of the shaft, said rear side of the handle being formed with a polygonal recess surrounding the shaft, an elongated handle component journalled intermediate its ends on the shaft behind the handle, an enlarged polygonal head fixed on the rear end of the shaft, at a distance from the rear side of the handle greater than the thickness of the handle component, said handle component having a forward side having an axial polygonal locking lug thereon for locking engagement in said locking recess, expanding spring means acting between the hand and the handle component and normally spreading the handle component rearwardly away from the handle and disengaging the locking lug from the locking recess, and first and second hack saw blades extending between related ends of the bladecarrier cross bars and removably secured thereto, the rear side of the handle and the forward side of, the handle component being formed for comformable contact so as to make the handle and the handle component-a single handle unit when the julr handle and the handle component are compressed together in gripping the handle unit for a sawing operation wherein the locking lug is engaged in the locking recess and the blade carrier frame is locked against rotation relative to the hack saw frame, with a selected blade positioned for use in the plane of the hack saw frame at the free ends of the said arm and the handle and with the other blade protectively positioned along the hack saw frame back bar, said spring means comprising a helical spring circumposed on the locking lug and compressed between the rear side of the handle and the forward side of said handle component, one of the facing surfaces of the handle and the handle component being indented by a spring seat seating an end of the spring and into which the spring is telescoped in the forwardly compressed position of the handle component.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 585,157 Chaney June 22, 1897 10 1,047,838 Raade Dec. 17, 1912 2,682,286 Barker June 29, 1954 

